Luciferase



Luciferase (Luc) is an oxidative enzyme used in bioluminescence. It catalyzes the oxidation of the pigment luciferin producing oxyluciferin and light. The images at the left and at the right correspond to one representative Luc, i.e. the crystal structure of firefly Luciferase (3iep). See detailed analysis of Luciola cruciata luciferase.

3D Structures of Luciferase
3iep, 1lci – fLuc – firefly

3ier – fLuc+PEG 400

1ba3 – fLuc+bromoform

3ies – fLuc+inhibitor

2d1q – LcLuc (mutant)+MgATP – Luciola cruciata

2d1r - LcLuc (mutant)+oxyluciferin+AMP

2d1s, 2d1t - LcLuc (mutant)+intermediate analog

3fgc – VhLuc α+β chain+FMN – Vibrio harveyi

1luc, 1brl - VhLuc α+β chain

1bsl, 1xkj - VhLuc β chain

2psd, 2psh, 2psj, 2pse, 2psf – Luc (mutant) – Renilla reniformis

Additional information


Several organisms are bioluminescent, meaning that they produce light. Luciferase is one of the enzymes that catalyzes light emitting reactions in organisms.


 * Luciola cruciata luciferase (Japanese firefly), complexed with Oxyluciferin & AMP (2d1r) or with an high-energy analogue (2d1s)
 * 3ies,3iep and 3ier Firefly luciferase (FLuc) bound to its natural substrate ATP and the inhibitor PTC124
 * 1ba3 firefly luciferase enzyme from Photinus pyralis
 * 2psd, 2pse, 2psf, 2psh, 2psj, and 2rh7 the luciferase from Renilla reniformis (RLuc)
 * 1bsl 1.95&Aring; heterodimer of bacterial luciferase from Vibrio harveyi
 * 1brl 2.4&Aring; heterodimer of bacterial luciferase from Vibrio harveyi
 * 1xkj homodimer of bacterial luciferase from Vibrio harveyi
 * 2d1q, 2d1r and 2d1s thermostable Japanese Firefly (Luciola cruciata) Luciferase complexed with High-energy intermediate analog
 * 2d1t thermostable Japanese Firefly Luciferase red-color emission S286N mutant
 * 1lci firefly luciferase enzyme from Photinus pyralis
 * Dinoflagellate luciferase
 * 1luc The 1.5&Aring; resolution crystal structure of bacterial luciferase from Vibrio harveyi
 * 3fgc Bacterial luciferase from Vibrio harveyi
 * 1vpr luciferase of Lingulodinium polyedrum, a marine bioluminescent dinoflagellate
 * Green Fluorescent Protein
 * For additional information, see: Colored & Bioluminescent Proteins

External Resources

 * Yahoo news coverage of luciferase studies funded research for military applications
 * Luciferase at Wikipedia
 * Luciferase: June 2006 Molecule of the Month as part of the series of tutorials that are at the RCSB Protein Data Bank and written by David S. Goodsell